Coffee Grounds
by darkmystress00
Summary: Beth has a secret admirer who works in a coffee shop.


The first time she walked in, it was like she dragged in the sunshine with her. Daryl remembered vividly. It was a grossly overcast day, that had a chill in the air uncommon for a day this early in September. She'd ordered a simple cup of tea, and Daryl was ashamed to admit that he'd watched her doctor it with rapt attention, so precise he could duplicate the drink for her now six months later.

As it got colder she'd come in more often, sometimes with friends, sometimes with that loud-mouthed sister of hers, but never with a boy. Some days she'd come in, golden hair down and loose, sometimes she'd come in with a scarf around her neck, and hair up in a ponytail that damn near hid the braid she had tucked along the side of her head. Some days she'd have text books, some days just her phone with headphones tucked into one ear (the other hung down her shoulder so she could hear him repeat her order when he said it back to her.) He liked the days she came in with her texts the most. She'd sit over at a corner table, tuck her headphones in her ears, open her books and just sit…for hours! He noticed when she was thinking about what she read she was very intent on the words, when she was just reading for pleasure she'd lounge back and oftentimes would play with the ends of her hair (more like a habit than something she did purposefully.) Daryl felt like a creep because he noticed these little things about her. He felt like a creep for noticing that on bitter cold days she'd order a spiced cider, rather than a tea or coffee. He noticed on days she wasn't feeling well, she'd order a large tea, with double bags and would dose it with a good helping of their organic local honey. He noticed on the days she'd walk in and just stand by the door she was usually deciding whether or not she wanted to order a slice of their spice bread along with her drink.

Yeah, Daryl felt like the worlds biggest creep because he noticed all these little things about her, but when she would walk up to the counter, with a big smile and a warm, "Hello Daryl. How are you today?" He couldn't make himself muster up the guilt he knew he should feel at having her order already rung up and ready for her to pick up. When she stared at him like he was the most interesting person in the world as he talked about working on his brother's motorcycle he couldn't make himself feel bad about the fact that he was damn near twice her age. He just felt like the luckiest S.O.B. in the world that she was giving him the time of day.

When Beth missed her normal trip to the coffee shop Daryl had been bummed, but that had been nothing compared to the worry that had clawed at his gut when he was looking at over a month of not seeing her face, not hearing her voice, not seeing her smile. That wasn't like Beth. She rarely missed a day. Her once a week trip had slowly evolved into a daily visit that Daryl had started looking forward to. When she missed the first day he'd been bummed, two days had been a bit sad, three days had seen him all out of sorts, but after a week worry had been his constant companion. What if something had happened to her? He had no idea what her last name was so there was no way he could look her up just to check on her. (Because that wasn't creepy at all…nope not. at. all.)

Almost a month and a half after her last visit, Beth waltz (well most like barely made it inside the door) back into the coffee shop, but Daryl barely recognized her. She ordered a coffee, black, and took it quietly to her table, where she sat just staring at the wall listlessly. He watched her for all of two minutes before calling into the back, tossing his apron on the counter, and walking over to her table, with a cup of tea fixed just the way she liked it. "Hey Beth…missed you 'round these parts." He rumbled, setting the tea down next to her untouched cup of coffee. "Everything ok?" He heard himself ask as he pulled dup a chair next to her. She shrugged lightly with one shoulder but wouldn't look at him.

"Yeah…just been busy." Her voice was so empty of the light and bubbly laughter he was used to hearing he didn't know who she was.

"I've known you a long time, but I've never known you to lie to me girl." Her eyes snapped up to his shocked. "What's been goin' on really?" Her eyes darted down and he was suddenly filled with a deep sense of panic as he watched her eyes well up with tears.

"My mama and brother died last month. Haven't been feeling much up to seein' people." Her voice cracked as the first tear fell, and before he could think better of it, he hauled her chair next to his and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing her face into his shoulder. She cried silently for a good ten minutes before she hiccuped and pulled away from him, wiping at her red and swollen eyes. "I'm sorry…"

"Ain't nothing to be sorry for." He rumbled as she rested her head on his shoulder again. They sat in relative silence until she felt strong enough to go back home and face her daddy (who was a right mess) and her sister (who had no coping skills and was more often than not out and about partying her pain away.) Daryl watched her walk away and stood to pick up the cups. He noticed, with a self-satisfied smirk, her cup of coffee was still untouched, but the cup of tea was completely empty. He pulled on his apron and tossed a scowl at Carol, who was running around like mad to make up for his absence and shooting him a smirk that screamed 'you're in for it when we close', and started to ring up a customer standing in line.

"You're lucky you own this place." She said as she set some coffees down on the counter and went back to start making the new latte with a double shot of espresso and other crap Daryl only knew how to ring up.

"Yeah I know…otherwise we'd both be out of a job." She snorted as she frothed some milk for the fancy-shmancy foam trick she liked to do. Yeah, having Carol to work with was one of the few things that kept this place floating. She was great with the customers, and quick the orders. She was efficient and knew how to keep her head under pressure. Daryl knew when she decided to move on to bigger and better things his little coffee shop would probably close its doors forever.

It was three months later, three LONG months later that Beth marched into the coffee shop and pushed past the three people in line to stare at him with a hard expression. Three months of long talks, and laughing, and drinks, and sharing about themselves (well she shared more than he did…but still.) Three months of visits happening later and later until suddenly she was there helping him close up shop and he was driving her home because 'you can't walk home at this hour of the night. What the hell is the matter with you?' Three months, and here she was, standing in front of him, eyes hard and filled with determination. Three months and she was standing in front of him looking, just as beautiful as the first day he'd seen her, not giving one iota about the nasty comments and rude clearing of throats at the fact that she'd pushed her way to the front of the line. He smirked. "Can I help you?"

"Daryl Dixon," She started and he knew he was done for. No one had a right to say his name like that, and she said it like that EVERY TIME. "Why haven't you asked me out yet?" and just like that he stood there, completely gobsmacked and unsure how to answer. "I like you, and I know you like me. So why haven't you asked me out yet?" Her hands came up to rest on her hips, like a mother scolding their child, but she definitely wasn't his mother and he was no where near thinking maternal thoughts about her. No, the thoughts he had about her were definitely more along the lines of x-rated and often resulted in him taking a nice cold shower.

"Uh…"

"'Cause the way I see it…we've known each other about a year now. We've talked, and shared, and I've even let you drive me home…which is a lot more than other guys have gotten before they asked me out. So I started thinking…maybe I should just ask you. So this is me asking." She smiled up at him. "Do you wanna go out some time?" He just stared at her for a second blinking once…then twice, before he took off his apron, tossed it down and called out to Carol.

"I'm going out." Carol snorted.  
"Yeah. I heard."

"Close up?"

"Nah…thought I'd make this an all night joint." She teased. When Daryl looked concerned she rolled her eyes, and stepped up to the register. "Go before she drags you out of here by your hair." Carol winked at Beth who just grinned. Daryl touched his shaggy brown hair delicately.

"I'd never." Beth swore before taking his hand. "But I'm not above a little embarrassment." She whispered, and rather than find out exactly what she meant by those words, he was pulling her out of the coffee shop and towards his car.

"So, you wanna catch a movie?" She grinned at him.

"Definitely." She popped into his car, settling comfortably into the passenger seat. "Bout damn time you asked. I was starting to get worried." She teased and he just snort and stared at her.

"If that was you starting to worry…I'd hate to see you being direct." She just grinned at him and took his hand before he drove off. The look on her face had him reconsidering. Maybe he would like to see her being direct. Hell, he knew he would. He like everything about her and he knew he wanted to see her in every way that he possibly could.


End file.
